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Money Saving Mom

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Saving Families Money Since 2007

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Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 13, 2012 comment

A Peek Into Our Week

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A Peek Into Our Week

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

It was a bit on the crazy side here this week. Since I’ve never released a book before, I had no idea what to expect, but I guessed it was going to be busy.

Well, that’s an understatement.

Truthfully, for a few days, I barely moved from a chair because I was so busy fielding emails, phone calls, and just overseeing all the details of the launch. I’m so thankful to my husband, my team, and our mother’s helper who helped shoulder so much of the load the past few weeks in order to pull this book launch off.

It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. But I’m glad to have it behind me because it’s time to get back to normal life again after a few whirlwind weeks! 🙂

You all were so kind to share in the excitement and to do crazy things like taking pictures of yourself at the bookstore or pictures with your receipts. All the pictures from you all in my inbox were so fun to receive and I was cracked up at how many of you apologized about how you looked. If you could have seen my pajama-clad, bedhead self at the time, I think you would have felt a lot better!

And THANK YOU for keeping my book in the top 100 bestsellers on Amazon for the past four days. Your support has been amazing, overwhelming, and humbling.

Thank you all so much for bearing with me as I’ve taken a break from much of the usual blogging the last few weeks in order to focus on the book launch. Thank you for bearing with all the posts about the book this week. While I do have a few more special offers in store, I promise that I’m not going to be mentioning the book every other post for the next two years. 😉

Now, enough about the book, we did do some other things this week, too…

We also attended a beautiful wedding of two young people whose families we’ve known for years.

And we had lots of fun with our new bunny, whom the girls have named Fawn Sweet Pea Beauty. 🙂

Jesse and I have decided that pets take a lot of time–Fawn got out of her cage twice the first week and we spent a total of 4.5 hours trying to catch her and coax her back into the cage. You should have seen us running around our basement trying to catch her. If we hadn’t have been so determined to catch her, we probably would have been laughing at how hysterical we looked.

Kathrynne has been doing most all of the care-taking for Fawn and it’s been so encouraging to see her stepping up and taking such responsibility.

Jesse and I also celebrated our ninth anniversary two days late by going on a dinner date to a restaurant we had a gift card to. Come to find out, we had forgotten to bring the gift card with us. Oh well, we still had a wonderful evening out together.

And I also was in a minor accident and didn’t have my license with me. (I blame all the absentmindedness on all my brain cells being sucked out by my book release! :)) It could have been much worse, and while it was no fun to wait three hours when I really needed to go to the bathroom, I’m so thankful no one was hurt and the van only suffered a few scratches and scrapes.

Did anything exciting or interesting happen at your house this week?

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 13, 2012 comment

Good Reads: A Deeper Kind of Calm & Secret of the Prince’s Tomb

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Good Reads: A Deeper Kind of Calm & Secret of the Prince’s Tomb

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I’d read and loved Linda Dillow’s book, Calm My Anxious Heart, last year. So I decided to add two of her other books to this year’s reading list.

This week I finished reading A Deeper Kind of Calm. It’s a short book packed with much to consider and apply in my own life. While it’s a short book (there are only 5 chapters!), I wouldn’t recommend trying to digest it all in one session. In fact, I read one chapter per day and I felt like that was almost too much to chew on.

Linda has a great way of drawing readers in, sharing personal stories of her own struggles and difficulties and sharing testimonies from others who have walked difficult paths, too. While I liked Calm My Anxious Heart more than this book, it was a good read.

We were so excited that Focus on the Family released another book in The Imagination Station series. And, as usual, it didn’t disappoint.

Secret of the Prince’s Tomb is about the Hebrews in Egypt. Jesse read this aloud in the evenings and we all enjoyed it–even if it did end before we were ready for it to be over with.

Have you read any good books recently?

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 12, 2012 comment

Do not give up–ever!

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Do not give up–ever!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I posted Jason’s article on how they survived a $70,000 pay cut earlier tonight and wanted to follow up with some additional thoughts and encouragement to you all…

Some of you are in a position where living on less than you make seems like a pipe dream right now. And $70,000? That’s more than three times your current income and more money than you could ever dream of making in a year.

You might be feeling discouraged just thinking about how low your income is in comparison and how hard you’re working right now to just try to barely break even.

I have four words I want to share with you tonight:

Do not give up.

I well remember the days when I felt so desperate. We were barely squeaking by. I was pregnant with our first child. Jesse was in law school and working part-time. I was so sick with my pregnancy that I was unable to continue working and I wanted to stay home with our baby after she was born.

But it all felt so impossible. I was trying so hard to come up with something I could do from home and all my ideas were falling flat on their face.

I was scared and grasping at any straw I could find. I was praying–often pleading–and asking God to provide for us.

There were so many moments when I wanted to give into hopelessness. But, by the grace of God, I kept going, even when everything seemed so dark.

And I want to encourage you to do the same.

Do something–even if it seems miniscule. Set microscopic goals.

Check out books from the library on how to save money or increase your income. Read blogs or articles on the internet that will teach and inspire you.

Surround yourself with positive influences who will encourage and motivate you. Get up and exercise.

Laugh, smile and sing… even when you don’t feel like it. These can all be huge antidotes for warding off discouragement.

Choose to be thankful, even when life feels so overwhelming. Find something–anything–to be thankful for. There is always someone who would want to be in your shoes.

Make the most of your situation, even when it seems like you have so little to work with.

And never, never give up. Ever.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 12, 2012 comment

How to survive a $70,000 pay cut

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How to survive a $70,000 pay cut

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Jason, over at Work Save Live, has a great post up on how they survived a $70,000 pay cut. I especially love this part:

Living on less than you make is extremely difficult. It’s one of those easier-said-than-done things. What typically happens in this country, regardless of income, is that we spend EVERYTHING we make (and most of us go into debt beyond that). I’ve coached people that make minimum wage, some that make $20/hr, and others that take home $10,000/month. And that statement applies to all of them. Everything is relative. Income and lifestyle adjust in the same direction.

The fact is, regardless of your income, you MUST learn to live on substantially less than you make. Doing that will allow you to take a lesser-paying job in the event that (1) you want to pursue your dream job or (2) you get fired/laid off and can only find work that comes with a reduction in pay.

Read the full post.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 12, 2012 comment

We Paid Cash: Living Room Chairs

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We Paid Cash: Living Room Chairs

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post by Rachel from Frugal and Simple

When we were married, almost all of the furniture in our first apartment with was second hand. And after five years of marriage, our home is still furnished with those same cast-offs!

The couch that my husband brought into our marriage is a nice black leather sectional that is comfortable and still has many years of wear left. We have been talking about purchasing coordinating chairs for a few years now; however all the new chairs we liked and agreed on were way too expensive.

We scoured Craigslist and thrift stores for many months without any success. Again, the things we liked were way too expensive and the ones we could afford were way too dated!

Since we had recently started hosting a small group in our home and we had some excess money in our savings account, we decided to go ahead and use this money to purchase living room chairs. We agreed on budget of $600 for purchasing chairs and we started seriously looking.

One weekend, not long after we sat the dollar amount, we stopped in a small furniture store just two miles from our home. At the front of the store there was a red leather chair with a price of $229! We both loved the chair but red didn’t go with the existing decor in our living room.

We inquired and learned that particular chair did not come in black, which was the color we preferred, but that we could order similar chairs made by the same manufacturer for the price of $229! This was by far the best price we found for chairs that we liked. Also, by paying cash, we didn’t have to pay sales tax!

We ended up paying $458 cash for our two new black chairs. With the $142 we were under budget, we purchased an apple green leather ottoman for $104 so we could kick up our feet and have an additional seat for times when we have a house full of friends.

We now have two chairs that we needed and an ottoman–and we’re $38 under budget!

Rachel loves living a frugal and simple life with her husband and toddler and new baby. She blogs about saving money, contentment, and living minimally at Frugal and Simple.

Find more We Paid Cash stories here. Submit yours for possible publication here.

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Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 12, 2012 comment

How We Saved $300 on a Dishwasher

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How We Saved $300 on a Dishwasher

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I loved email from Jen of Dear Mommy Brain:

Craigslist is a fantastic way to buy second-hand merchandise instead of scouring garage sales or newspaper ads. We’ve scored deals on children’s toys, cloth diapers, and even my digital SLR camera.

But our most recent bargain can’t be beat.

For a couple of months, our dishwasher had been showing signs of wear. So I started searching store ads trying to get an idea of what a new dishwasher would cost. The cheapest model was still $300!

That’s when I thought of Craigslist. As I scrolled down the list, I found some pretty vintage dishwashers for $100-$150. Not too bad, but do they actually work?

Then one day I came across a listing for one that was “sitting on the curb waiting for pickup”. The picture showed a modern, clean, white dishwasher. I contacted the owner who said he had just redone their kitchen, purchased a different color, and needed the old machine picked up.

No charge.

The seller assured me that it worked, but my thought was, “Who cares! Even if it doesn’t work, it was free!”

When my husband returned from picking it up, he said he felt like he was stealing… and in a way he was right! We installed the dishwasher and it works great! -Jen from Dear Mommy Brain.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 11, 2012 comment

My crazy evening last night & why I’m thankful I drive a used van

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My crazy evening last night & why I’m thankful I drive a used van

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I spent yesterday afternoon at Starbucks overseeing all the details of my book’s launch and answering a multitude of emails involved with that. I left right before 5 p.m. to make it home before our babysitter had to leave.

I was in a bit of a rush to make it home in time, so I didn’t stop to go to the bathroom before leaving. Bad idea–especially since I had downed a Venti tea and a glass of water while I was at Starbucks.

A few blocks from home, I stopped abruptly to avoid hitting the car in front of me that had decided to turn at the last minute. A few seconds after braking, there was a loud crash and a big jolt as the car behind me rear-ended me.

Getting out to investigate, I discovered it wasn’t bad at all–just some minor scratches and scrapes to add to the collection already on the back of our well-used van. I figured I could just get the other driver’s insurance information and be on my way.

I should have known it wouldn’t be that simple. 🙂

The other car was a 2012 Mustang in pristine condition. The driver, a very friendly woman in her 40’s, was quite upset about the whole thing. And she had every reason to be: the front bumper of beautiful car had a large crack in it.

She had already called the police and said they were on their way.

I talked to Jesse on the phone and he said it couldn’t be long for the police to arrive, so we pulled into a residential area. I also texted the babysitter to let her know what was going on.

By this time, I really needed to go to the bathroom and I also noticed that the gas gauge was almost completely on empty. 20 minutes had passed and the police hadn’t arrived yet.

Surely, it couldn’t be much longer.

Jesse was becoming a little frustrated that it was taking the police so long to show up, so he started texting and calling a few of his police friends to see if he could help expedite the process. It was to no avail.

After an hour had passed, Jesse headed home to pick up the kids. He stopped by the nearest police station and talked to people there but no one seemed to be able to help us.

I was ready to just leave the scene and file a report at the police station, but the other driver really wanted to stay and wait. She kept calling the police and they kept saying they’d send someone as soon as they could.

I didn’t feel comfortable leaving without mutual consent, so I kept waiting, hoping that every car that passed was a police car.

Finally, after an hour and a half of waiting, someone from the police station called the other driver to let her know that an officer was on his way. Yay! I was so relieved that we were going to get everything processed and taken care of.

Maybe, just maybe, I’d get home by dinner time. Seeing as it was our anniversary and all, I kind of wanted to make it home in time for dinner!

Well, I’m not exactly sure what “on their way” means but it was another 40 minutes before the officer showed up. Yes, we had been waiting there for 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The good news? The officer who showed up was extremely nice. He apologized profusely and then started having us fill out our paperwork.

It was about this time that panic set in: I couldn’t find my driver’s license.

I pulled every piece of everything out of my purse and wallet and went through my computer case with a fine-toothed comb. It wasn’t there.

I was trying to stay calm, but my insides were churning. My husband represents lots and lots of traffic cases in court and I knew this was potentially a very bad thing and I could get hit with a misdemeanor. I’ve never even gotten a ticket in my life, so I was extremely upset to think of that mark on my record.

Remember how I said that the officer was so nice? Well, that graciousness came into play here. I think he sensed my genuine panic and, after checking my record and seeing it was squeaky clean, he told me that he wasn’t going to charge me for not having my license with me while driving.

Whew! I heaved a huge sigh of relief, expressed immense thankfulness, and finished filling out the paperwork.

After we were done, the van had a lot of trouble starting because it was almost out of gas, but I got it to start and prayed the entire four blocks home that it would make it. And it did.

3 hours and 15 minutes after I left Starbucks, I finally made it home. After making a beeline for the restroom, I retraced all of steps to figure out where my license could be.

And then I remembered: when I went to get my passport I’d made up a packet of everything I needed–including my license. In an attempt to be responsible, I’d taken this packet out of my purse when I got home completely forgetting my license was still in there.

Big oops.

Even though it wasn’t how I’d planned we’d spend our nine-year anniversary evening, there were some blessings in it:

::I’m so thankful no one was hurt. It could have been much worse.

::I’m thankful that the other woman willingly took responsibility for running into my van. It’s much more difficult when there’s a dispute over whose fault it was.

::I’m so, so thankful that the officer showed me grace.

::I’m very thankful I discovered I didn’t have my license. Kaitlynn and I are flying to Florida on Sunday for a Family Life event and it would have been bad had I showed up at the airport and then discovered I didn’t have my license.

::I’m thankful that I found my license when I got home.

::And finally, I’m thankful that I drive an older van with lots of character flaws. If you already have quite a few nicks and dings and scratches, it’s not a big deal to add a few more to the collection. 🙂

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 11, 2012 comment

5 Ways to Maintain Your Focus–For Free!

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5 Ways to Maintain Your Focus–For Free!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post by Elise from New Life Recovery Coaching.

In my last guest article I shared how my husband and I felt when we completely ran out of money. Yes, it was one of the worst nights of my life, but also one of the most hopeful. It’s like they say: When you hit bottom, you’ve nowhere else to go but up!

As many of you shared in the comments after that piece we all seem to struggle with the emotions of despair, hopelessness, and fear when we’re dealing with our money. Especially when we’re first facing a crisis situation, it is nearly impossible to avoid panic.

Then there is the issue of social pressure. When I spend time around people who spend money very differently than I do, it is easy to feel smaller, judged, and belittled.

Over the past year or so I’ve discovered some personal ‘battle armor’ to protect my focus on changing the financial future of my family as well as my own sanity:

1. Online Communities, Coupon Groups, and Mom Blogs

I’ve got to start with the obvious one! We’re all here, aren’t we? On MoneySavingMom®, we’re  connecting about how to get further on less and live differently with our money. Sometimes I’ve felt silly for relying so completely on online resources. But it also seems as if I more easily find ‘kindred spirits’ when I search for like-minded folks online.

2. Local Couponing Groups

In my corner of America, I subscribe to a local email newsletter that outlines local deals and specials. Frugal Living Northwest also offers coupon classes to church or community groups. This is a great way to meet other struggling yet hopeful families and connect over our new perspectives on finances.

3. Other Support Groups

From Alanon to Celebrate Recovery and Bible study groups at church, formal community groups can offer a level of family-type-support that sometimes we don’t get from our own families when we are struggling through big changes in our money-management habits. 12-step groups can provide assistance with setting boundaries and learning better ways of dealing with family, friends, and other sources of ‘drama’ that can stress us beyond belief.

4. Mini Staycations

As mom’s, wives, husband’s, dad’s, brother’s, sister’s, we give and give and give–even in tough times. When we can’t afford that luxury latte for a 5-minute pick-me-up or a trip to the movies with our girlfriends to decompress, sometimes we start to think that we don’t have any rejuvenation options left. It’s so easy to give in to the temptation to panic and over-spend when we feel trapped and overwhelmed.

A better solution is to plan a “mini staycation” into our week an evening or lunchtime break. Brew a cup of tea, grab an encouraging book, and just breathe for a few moments.

5. Ask questions

One of the most common things I hear from my life-coach clients is how long they waited in misery and terror before they finally simply started asking around for some support. Just the action of reaching out for answers to our worries or fears puts us on track to find them!

Bottom line: Don’t assume that because we’re making new, frugal, and even squeaky-tight financial choices that our options for emotional and spiritual support are eliminated. The community spirit that can rise up when folks share honestly about their struggles is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced! We aren’t alone!

Elise Photini Adams is serving clients and audiences across the United States as the NewLife Recovery Coach, offering common-sense inspiration and transforming truths that she’s learned from over 10+ years in personal recovery from homelessness, addiction and abuse. Elise has a new Free Report entitled ‘7 Free Sources of Emergency Cash-Free, Fast, Legal’ out now!

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 11, 2012 comment

Reader Tip: Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar

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Reader Tip: Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Tracy emailed in with the following tip:

We suffer from hard water even with a water softener — and we don’t always keep up with the salt like we should. I discovered that by just pouring about a cup or so of white vinegar into the bottom of my dishwasher it does a wonderful job of keeping hard water residue off my dishes — and white vinegar is so cheap! I don’t even need a drying agent. Just my cheap dishwashing powder soap and the white vinegar!

photo credit

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 11, 2012 comment

Ask the Readers: Have you used wool dryer balls?

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Ask the Readers: Have you used wool dryer balls?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Dina:

Just wondering if anyone has ever used wool dryer balls? They are supposed to cut drying time in half, eliminate static, and soften
clothes naturally. Do they really work? Or, are they are too good to be true? -Dina

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

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Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 10, 2012 comment

Today’s the big day!

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Today’s the big day!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s the big day! My book, The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget, is officially released and is available in stores nationwide!

I made this video to share a bit of my heart behind why I wrote this book and what I hope you gain from reading it.

You’ll have to pardon the odd cut-off. I started to share my gratitude for my husband and you all, and I broke down and couldn’t make it through.

So instead, I’ll just have to write that out, since I’m so emotional today that I don’t think I’ll be able to do a video on it! 🙂

You All Mean the World To Me

First off, thank you for how much you’ve touched and blessed me by supporting and believing in this project. As I wrote on my Facebook Page:

I just feel like crying all day today for how blessed I am by you all. You have no idea how much your amazing support of my book means to me. I knew you all were a fantastic group of readers, but your kindness and love poured out upon me today is just almost more than I can bear. *Thank you* from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could hug & thank each of you personally.

Just thank you. You all mean the world to me.

There Would Be No Book Without My Husband

Secondly, and more importantly, I want to thank my husband. Today, I celebrate nine years of being his wife. Next to my salvation, marrying Jesse was the best thing that ever happened to me.

While this book says I’m the author, truthfully, there would be no book without Jesse. From the get-go, he’s believed in this project. He’s shouldered extra burdens to free me up to write. He’s stayed up late with me to go over edits. He’s listened to me when I needed to bounce an idea off of someone. He’s cheered me on when I’ve felt like giving up. He’s prayed with me for wisdom, grace, and strength.

From the dedication page:

This book is dedicated to my wonderful husband, Jesse. Thank you for encouraging me to jump way outside my comfort zone back in 2003 when I had a crazy idea to start my own business. Three businesses, countless failures and nine years later, you’re still my biggest cheerleader. Thank you for believing in me yet again. I love you with all my heart.

Thank you, Jesse, for standing by my side throughout this whole project. I love you–and happy anniversary! 🙂

Have You Purchased Your Copy Yet?

The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget is now on shelves in bookstores nationwide and shipping out from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you have an e-reader, you can order a copy for your Kindle or order a copy for your Nook. If you live outside the U.S., you can order from the Book Depository and get free shipping worldwide.

Psst! Amazon just discounted my book to $8.40 for a limited time!

So what are you waiting for? Go get your copy of The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget!

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 9, 2012 comment

The most exciting thing that has ever happened to me as a blogger

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The most exciting thing that has ever happened to me as a blogger

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’ve been hinting around recently that I had some big news to share with you all. Truthfully, this is probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me as a blogger and I’ve been bursting at the seams to share this with you all, but I had to wait until a lot of different things were in place before I could make it public. Today, all the behind-the-scenes details are in place and I can finally share my big news with you!

But first, I need to give you some background story…

When Simon & Schuster contacted me out of the blue in late 2010 to offer me a book deal, I was really hesitant about taking it. The thought of being a published author was exciting, but I was scared. Scared of the work involved and the short time frame they were asking for it to be done in. Scared of the strain it might put on my health, my marriage, and our family.

But the biggest reason I was uncomfortable about the whole thing was the money issue. Simon & Schuster offered me a nice first-time author advance and I just didn’t want it. Sure, I could come up with some savings goals we could put it toward, but it just didn’t feel right–especially because we already have more than plenty.

I was washing dishes at the kitchen sink and contemplating and wrestling over what to do one day when it was as if God spoke in a still, small voice to me and said, “Give it all away, Crystal. Take the book deal, but give all your proceeds away.”

Without a doubt, I knew that that’s what I was supposed to do. And not only that, but I knew instinctively that I wanted to give the proceeds to Compassion International, an organization that exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry to some of the poorest of the poor.

For the first time since I’d gotten the book offer, I actually felt really stoked about the whole thing. This project was no longer about me. It was no longer just about writing a book. It was something much bigger–helping to meet the basic needs of those who were impoverished.

And so I accepted the offer and spent the first half of 2011 writing and editing my book, The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget. It was a lot of work, there were days when I wanted to throw in the towel, and I often had to ask the Lord to give me strength and wisdom beyond what I humanly possessed in order to do everything I needed to do to pull off this project.

But through it all, I felt such a sense of peace and purpose. I was excited to think that this book wasn’t just going to impact thousands of lives in America, it would hopefully also directly impact many lives through the money it raised for Compassion. That was such an exhilarating thought and it kept me going even when I was tired and drained.

After I finished the final draft and the manuscript went to the printers, we turned our attention to exploring what God was specifically calling us to do with the proceeds from the book. After discussions with Compassion, we really felt that we were to give the money to the Child Survival Program Fund.

On the phone, they off-handedly remarked that we could actually fund an entire Child Survival Program in one area, if that was something we were interested in. I asked them for more information and, after much thought and prayer, my husband and I knew that this was what we wanted to invest all of the proceeds from The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget into.

We chose a Child Survival Program in the Dominican Republic that was already established and needed a donor. This Child Survival Program offers life-saving health and medical care for over 80 at-risk expectant moms and young moms and over 80 at-risk babies and young children in the Dominican Republic.

It provides healthy deliveries in hospitals or clinics, immunizations, growth monitoring and development for the babies, and education for the mothers on how to care for and feed their children. In addition, one of the facets of the program is equipping mothers with income-generating skills so they can provide for their babies and young children.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support of my book project. Thank you for buying the book and telling others about it.

I’m beyond thrilled to let you all know that–thanks to your amazing support–the money we’ve received from The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget so far was enough to completely fund an entire year of the Child Survival Program in the Dominican Republic. How amazing is it to think that your support of the book is directly helping to impact the lives of over 160 at-risk women and children?

Pictured above are a few of the women in “our” Dominican Republic Child Survival Program. Women and children who have proper nutrition, medical care, and hope, thanks to you.

Our family is committed to supporting “our” Child Survival Program in the DR for as long as it is in existence and we are looking forward to taking a trip to visit there in the not-too-distant future. We’ll take pictures and share with you all about the lives you are impacting! {And I have a feeling we’ll come home forever impacted ourselves, too.}

Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I’m humbled, honored, and overcome with gratitude to be a part of all of this. And it never would have happened if it weren’t for you all. You all mean more to me than I can express. Just thank you.

Postscript: I’ve been planning to share this post today for a number of weeks. Little did I know that one of the women I appreciate most in all the world would also be writing a similar post today. You must go read Ann Voskamp’s post Because Saying Thank You Can Change The World.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 9, 2012 comment

Tips for Budget-Friendly Home Remodeling and Decorating

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Tips for Budget-Friendly Home Remodeling and Decorating

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The following guest post is written by Kelly from View Along the Way.

When my husband and I bought our previously-foreclosed house, the entire guest bedroom floor was covered in what I can only assume was feces. Soaked through the carpet, through the carpet mat, and into the floorboards.

We had a lot of work cut out for us!

It’s now three years later, we’ve almost completely gutted the place, pouring our own sweat and tears into every project, and we’ve learned many lessons about saving money along the way:

1. Don’t be afraid to DIY.

My husband and I are DIY-ers to the core. We believe you can learn how to do just about anything with the help of Google and a healthy spirit of adventure.

Our kitchen backsplash: our first attempt at tiling a vertical wall.

We’ve learned the pros don’t have any magical powers. They have better tools, but you can rent those. They have more knowledge, but you can find that online. And they have more experience, but you’ll get that quickly. There’s probably a certain level of ignorance-is-bliss necessary to get you started, but you can do it.

We hired professionals for exactly two jobs: installing carpet and installing our quartz countertops. For both jobs, we paid gobs of money and were completely dissatisfied with both jobs.

I learned through hiring those professionals that the people who will care the most about the final result are my husband and me. No one else has to live with the final result.

2. Coupon!

If you read Money Saving Mom®, you’re probably not new to this idea, but did you know there are coupons for home improvement stores too?

Lowe’s and Home Depot accept competitor coupons, and you can buy 10% and 20% off coupons for either store on eBay. We always use coupons on our home projects.

3. Shop with Gift Cards

If you know you have a big purchase ahead – for example, a large appliance – find the best deal, then buy a gift card for that retailer before you make the purchase. Home Depot and Lowe’s gift cards on eBay regularly sell for about 80 – 90 percent of the value, so you can save lots of cash by putting a little time and forethought into your purchases.

4. Work With Your Budget

I almost died when I saw a beautiful upholstered bed at a designer home store for over $2000. I loved it, but there was just no way we were forking over a couple grand for a bed, even if it would completely make the room.

So my husband and I got to thinking, strategizing, wondering: could we make something like that ourselves?

After several weeks of research and trial-and-error, we ended up with this – our first real upholstery attempt:

It’s our own version of the pricey designer bed, which we built out of wood and upholstered with fabric we bought on sale and with coupons for only $278. Yes, 90 percent off!

You can see the whole upholstered bed shebang here.

5. Have some vision.

Shop for furniture at yard sales and thrift shops, then spruce it up to make it your own. There are some incredible furniture pieces with beautiful lines at yard sales for next to nothing, just waiting to for a little lovin’. A quick sand and paint job can turn them around completely and give them character and class.

6. Avoid expensive matchy furniture sets.

You don’t need matching furniture to have a beautiful home. Take a look at the most beautifully designed rooms online and in magazines: they almost always have a collected feel. You’ll rarely see identical end tables or matching sofas and loveseats. The more collected your house feels, the more personality it has.

Unmatched furniture creates a collected, cozy feel. Via BHG

7. Go slowly, and pay with cash.

I might be preaching to the choir once again! Yes, using cash takes a bit longer but allows you to enjoy the fruits of your labor without worrying about how you’ll ever pay the bill later. It saves strain on your marriage, and gives you plenty of time to make the right decisions as you go.

We still have lots of learning to do, but following these tips have saved us tens of thousands of dollars on our home remodel so far.

Do you have any money-saving home improvement tips to share?

Kelly’s blog, View Along the Way, chronicles her attempts to fix up a beaten-down home on a teensy little budget. Be sure to check out the before and after photos of their house on her blog.

Money Saving Mom
Shared Jan 9, 2012 comment

10 Goals for This Week

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10 Goals for This Week

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I skipped posting weekly goals last week and posted my Goals for 2012 instead. But I’m back into the swing of things with our weekly goals list again. Here’s my list of goals for the last two weeks of December:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading The First Four Years.

2. Do some fun Christmas crafts/activities with the children and continue unwrapping and reading 2-3 Christmas books each day.

3. Plan out Personal, Financial, Business, Marriage, and Family Goals for 2012 with Jesse.

Personal Goals

4. Finish reading  Getting Things Done, Benjamin Rush, The Now Habit, Personal Investing: The Missing Manual, Recipes for Making Homemade A Little Easier.

5. Run 18 miles {total}.

6. Plan out books to read for 2012.

Home Management Goals

7. Make Homemade Marshmallows.

Business Goals

8. Finish 21 Days to a More Organized Christmas series.

9. Fly to Chicago to record The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget as an audiobook {more details on the release date of the audiobook coming soon!}

10. Get my passport {more details on why I’m getting this coming soon! ;) }

And here are my goals for this week:

Family/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading The Imagination Station: Secret of the Prince’s Tomb.

2. Start ice-skating lessons for the children.

3. Have a date night with my husband to celebrate our nine-year anniversary!

Personal Goals

4. Finish reading A Deeper Kind of Calm.

5. Complete week 2 of the Couch to 5K program + run an additional 5 miles.

6. Write one handwritten note of encouragement.

7. Finish listening to the Developing the Leader Within You audiobook.

8. Finish knitting the Squidge dishcloth.

Business Goals

9. Finish writing an article for AllYou.com.

10. Release my book, The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget {squee!!!! I have lots of fun things planned for the release week. Stay tuned for more details!}.

photo credit

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!

You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.